ANYONE INTERESTED IN SOME GOOD JUST FOR FUN BOOKS? THESE ARE FICTION BUT ARE REALLY GREAT READS.
WITCH CHILD AND THE SEQUEL, SORCERESS BY CELIA REES.
THESE 2 BOOKS ARE IN THE TEEN SECTION BUT I COULDN'T PUT THEM DOWN, REALLY GOOD BOOKS. ESPECIALLY THE FIRST ONE.
DAWN
Witch Child
YA author Celia Rees serves up a history lesson and a bewitching tale of suspense with Witch Child, the story of a young woman's struggles to survive amidst the witch mania that besieged 17th-century civilizations on both sides of the Atlantic. The story unfolds from the pages of a centuries-old diary, purportedly found hidden inside an old quilt. In a lead-in to the tale, Rees provides just enough manufactured manifest for this diary to lend it a realistic feel. The diary's author, a 15-year-old Englishwoman named Mary Newbury, grabs her readers' attention with a vengeance from the very first page, where she details her grandmother's arrest and subsequent execution for the crime of witchcraft.
Unlike some of the innocents who fell victim to this 17th-century hysteria, Mary readily admits to being a witch -- at least within the confines of her diary -- and is rescued from suffering a fate similar to her grandmother's by a mysterious female benefactor who ushers her unto a ship sailing for the New World. Mary hopes the change of venue will provide an escape from the sort of rigid intolerance that caused her grandmother's death, but rumors of witchcraft seem to follow her wherever she goes. The horrific onboard conditions and several at-sea disasters trigger witch paranoia among Mary's fellow sea travelers and, when the surviving passengers finally arrive in Salem, Mary quickly discovers that the lifestyle and the settlers in this New World are even more rigid and intolerant than those she left behind.
Adding to the danger of witch hunts and Mary's unfortunate tendency to attract unwanted attention are the day-to-day struggles for survival; starvation, disease, and deplorable living conditions are no strangers here. But while the era may be different, the lifestyle harder, and the stakes higher, young Mary's adolescent struggles with peer pressure, self-discovery, and self-actualization carry a timeless appeal that will easily cross the centuries to modern-day teens. (Beth Amos)
PRACTICAL MAGIC (FICTION)
SEVENTH HEAVEN
TURTLE MOON
BY ALICE HOFFMAN
ALSO A GREAT AUTHOR WITH A MAGICAL TOUCH.
Ahhh, this is a good idea for a thread!!! Right now I just finished reading The Hobbit and I am about 100 pages into The Fellowship of the Ring. I know I'm a little late on reading those books, but of well! 
I am also reading Stephen King's "The Shining". I figured that would be a good October book to read. 
But a really good series of books to read is the Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte. There are about 8+ books to this series. I am on book 7 right now, though I put it down months ago because I wanted something different for a while, so I'll finish it one of these days. It's about the life and times leading up to King Arthur. I'm on book 7 and Arthur is just now becoming a young teenager. These stories give you a less magical story line and are REALLY good!!
THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller
fictionalized story based on history.
This is a really good book, I recently read it again when my son had to read it for school, and it was really good. We rented the movie too, starring Winona Ryder. Good movie also.
Dawn
I just bought a book at the grocery store yesterday off of the best selling section called "Ghost Walk" by Heather Graham and it's REALLY good! I'm about 155 pages into it and I fell asleep reading it last night, I didn't want to put it down! It's based in the French Quarter ad it's about seeing ghosts. VERY good so far!
I'm looking for a mystery book based around Christmas time....anyone know of one? I know it's a kind of weird request, but that's just what I'm in the mood for and it seems that all the Christmas books that I have seen are romance books.
I spent all summer reading Alice Hoffmann books, she's the woman who wrote the book Practical Magic is based on. She is an unbelievably good writer, I want to be like her when I grow up, LOL.
I'm always looking for good ghost and haunting novels. That one you're reading sound great KJ!
Because I can't get to the library anymore, I'm re-reading Thick Face, Black Heart which is non-fiction on an Asian perspective on being a warrior and a success in the world. It's fascinating. I'm also reading Witch Crafting, I've been reading it for two years. It's such a good non-fic book on Wicca that I am reading it so slowly, I don't want to stop.
I love reading, especially these kinds of books! I'm so happy to have met other people who love it too.
Second Glance : A Novel (Paperback)
by Jodi Picoult
Got 4/5 stars, great reviews. Here are some of the comments, I won't include all of it for those who don't want to know too much (like me!):
OK, it's taking way too long for me to find other books. Anyone else have any suggestions?
Hello everyone!
I've been a member of this group for a while but have never got around to introducing myself. Sorry. I will get around to introducing myself formally soon, but I just had to reply to KJ's request for good mystery novels. A great series you might like are the Bast mysteries by Rosemary Edghill. One is called the Book of Moons and I can highly recommend it. Her descriptions of the "witch scene" in New York are very insightful and it's a rollicking story. There are others in the series too. Hope you like them.
Cheers from MoonFox =^^=
This is a horror moving, not a mystery, but there's a scary movie from the 80s (I think) called Black Christmas.
I found these at http://www.mysterynet.com/Christmas/books/
Hard Christmas by Barbara D'Amato
A Cat Marsala Mystery -- A hundred-acre expanse of pine and spruce greets investigative reporter Cat Marsala when she arrives in Michigan for a human-interest feature on the harvesting of Christmas trees. But her holiday report soon turns into an expose of murder
The Shortest Day: Murder at the Revels by Jane Langton
A Homer Kelly Mystery -- The eleventh adventure starring sleuthing Harvard professor Homer Kelly is a Christmas brew spiced with medieval revelry and romantic rivalry, set on the darkest day of the year. The annual Christmas Revels, where ancient midwinter rituals and incantations mingle with the stomp and jingle of Morris dancers, turns out to be the perfect setting for murder. This book includes the author's charming line drawings.
Mistletoe Mysteries: Tales of Yuletide Murder Edited by Charlotte MacLeod
Fifteen top mystery writers channel their homicidal holiday urges into a sparkling Yuletide collection. The festivities includes stories by Mary Higgins Clark, Isaac Asimov, Peter Lovesey, Aaron Elkins, Bill Pronzini, Marcia Muller, John Lutz, Howard Engel, Henry Slesar, Eric Wright, Edward D. Hoch, Sharyn McCrumb, Susan Dunlap, Dorothy Salisbury Davis, and Charlotte MacLeod herself. The perfect holiday gift for a friend or relative with a taste for cozy crime.
The Christmas Night Murder by Lee Harris
A Christine Bennett Mystery -- Fifth in the Edgar-nominated series that mystery fans are reading religiously -- starring Christine Bennett, ex-nun and expert sleuth.
A cheerful Christmas party at St. Stephen's Convent is spoiled when the guest of honor, Father Hudson McCormick, fails to arrive. Worried Sister Joseph asks Christine Bennet, a former St. Stephen' s nun, to investigate. Now every signpost points Christine into the past -- to a troubled young woman who committed suicide and a once-prominent family that has vanished as mysteriously as Father McCormick himself...
KJO, a few more Christmas mysteries you might try are A Christmas Journey and A Christmas Visitor, both by Anne Perry, also The Christmas Thief by Mary and Carole Higgins Clark. I'm with you, I like mysteries set at Christmas. Also, I agree with Moon Fox, Rosemary Edgehill's Bast mysteries are fun.
Both Dawn and Autumn B. have mentioned Alice Hoffman. She's a terriffic writer, one of the best out there who is doing "magical realism." She has also written some wonderful books for children and young adults.
I really like this thread, and am looking forward to some good recommendations from you all.
I actually miss having it. Normally I just take books out of the library and return them without thinking about it. This one is so special though, true magick in there.
Hello! Has anyone read anything by Nina Kriki Hoffman?
"A Fistful Of Sky" to name one of her books, sounds lie an interesting story. I haven't read anything of her yet, but was curious. Anybody recommend her?
The Shortest Day: Murder at the Revels by Jane Langton
A Homer Kelly Mystery -- The eleventh adventure starring sleuthing Harvard professor Homer Kelly is a Christmas brew spiced with medieval revelry and romantic rivalry, set on the darkest day of the year. The annual Christmas Revels, where ancient midwinter rituals and incantations mingle with the stomp and jingle of Morris dancers, turns out to be the perfect setting for murder. This book includes the author's charming line drawings.
This one sounds good! Maybe we can do one of the Christmas mystery books soon! What do you guys think?? Actually ALL those books sound good, thanks so much everyone for the suggestions!
I'm up for anything KJ, only I'm leaving on a trip in a month and have to order online so I would have to order it ASAP so I have it for my trip. Just let me know and I'll see if I can get it.
KJ, I am up for buying Shortest Day if you want to use that one for the book club! I found a $3 copy online.
What do you say everyone, want to give Shortest Day a try?!
Nina Kiriki Hoffman writes wonderful stories: stories full of wonder. Also full of horror, and love, and humor and science and magic. She won the Bram Stoker Award for first novel with The Thread That Binds the Bones (1993); her second novel, The Silent Strength of Stones (1995), was a finalist for the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards. She's published several more books and close to 200 stories over the past twenty years, and they just go on being strange, fun, and beautiful.
Joann Mapson is a really good writer who has a new book out, called The Owl and Moon Cafe. She has several other books which are excellent, the Bad Girl Creek series. Nothing really crafty or magical, but books about women and friendships, the kind of books you don't want to put down. go to Joannmapson.com, pretty nice website too.
Charms for an Easy Life. I can't remember the author and dont have the book right now, I lent it to someone, but is a really good book about a mother, her mother and her daughter, all grown and living together, their lives, and the grandmother is a magical person, a natural kind of witch. Very good book.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, My mom said I would like this book if I liked Charms for an Easy Life, but I havent read this one yet. But if my mom recommended it I feel good putting it here, she is an avid reader and loves a good book too! Enjoy....Let me know if you've read any of these and liked them.
I just finished reading books one and two of the new "Septimus Heap" books called (1) Magyk and (2) Flyte by Angie Sage. I am looking forward to purchasing book (3) Physik real soon.
Also, I am looking forward to reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow (book 7--and final book of the series) by J.K. Rowling. Official release date for where I live is July 21, 2007.
I also have an affinity for most Magic, Wicca, Witchcraft, etc... books as well as natural living books and nature books of most any kind.
The book I just finished is North Child by Edith Pattou. http://www.cygnus-books.co.uk/mind_body_spirit_books/north-child.htm
And yes, it's classified as 'young adult', but hey - youth is a state of mind!
Another book that might be of interest, especially to those who are interested in Norse Mythology and laughing a lot is Norse Mythology According to Uncle Einar by Jane Sibley. I'm not sure what the status is on this as far as availability, but it's worth trying to track down. http://www.editors-wastebasket.org/nexx/pro/einar.html
Blessings!
Bev
